


The Empty Flat

by trenchcoatonatardis



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen, Slight Alternate Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-03
Updated: 2013-01-03
Packaged: 2017-11-23 11:16:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/621524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trenchcoatonatardis/pseuds/trenchcoatonatardis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A script I wrote for my ideal imagining of the first 5 minutes of series 3 of Sherlock, based on the story "The Empty House" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Empty Flat

**Sherlock: Series 3 Episode 1 – The Empty Flat**

 

OPEN WITH A [PREVIOUSLY ON] SHOWING SHERLOCK’S FALL. CUT TO SHOT OF **JOHN WATSON** IN BED AT 221B BAKER STREET, WAKING UP WITH A START. HE GETS UP, AND SHOWING SOME SLIGHT DISCOMFORT IN HIS LEG, HE WALKS DOWNSTAIRS AND PICKS UP HIS LAPTOP.

THE LIVING AREA OF THE FLAT IS CLEAN: SHERLOCK’S KITCHEN LAB IS GONE, AS ARE THE SCATTERED PAPERS. CLOSE-UPS CONVEY THE EMPTINESS OF THE FLAT AS WELL AS SHOWING THE OBJECTS THAT DO REMAIN: HIS BOOKS, THE SMILEY FACE ON THE WALL, THE SKULL ON THE MANTELPIECE, AND SHERLOCK’S VIOLIN, IN ITS CASE ON THE MANTELPIECE.

JOHN SITS IN HIS CHAIR AND OPENS HIS LAPTOP TO SHERLOCK’S BLOG, WHICH HAS NO NEW UPDATES.

WE CUT TO JOHN SITTING ACROSS FROM HIS **THERAPIST**. JOHN IS RUBBING HIS LEG AND LOOKING EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE.

 

Therapist: How is your leg, John?

John: The same. Everything is…the same.

Therapist: Have you thought anymore about moving out of…[checks her notes] 221B Baker Street? If you were to move to a new flat, I think it would help you to move on.

 

JOHN STARES OUT OF THE WINDOW, RUBBING HIS LEG BUT SAYING NOTHING.

 

Therapist: …Have you taken my advice?

John: [he angrily turns to her and nearly shouts] I can barely bloody well talk to you, what do you think I would possibly have to blog about?!

 

[THE OPENING CREDITS OF SHERLOCK]

 

JOHN WALKS FROM HIS THERAPISTS OFFICE. HE NOW WALKS WITH A SLIGHT LIMP WHICH APPEARS TO CAUSE HIM SOME DISCOMFORT, YET HE ELECTS TO NOT WALK WITH A CANE. HE STOPS AT A NEWSSTAND A COUPLE OF BLOCKS FROM 221B. AFTER PURCHASING A PACK OF CIGARETTES, A **HOMELESS MAN** WITH A BEARD AND FILTHY CLOTHES BUMPS INTO JOHN, WHICH SENDS JOHN’S CIGARETTES FLYING INTO THE STREET. THEY ARE IMMEDIATELY RUN OVER BY A CAB.

 

Homeless Man: [mumbles] Sorry, sir.

 

THE MAN RUNS OFF.

 

John: [yelling after him] Yeah, thanks mate!

 

HE LOOKS AT THE DESTROYED PACK OF CIGARETTES, SIGHS, THEN TURNS TOWARDS 221B AND BEGINS TO WALK. HE REACHES 221B AND CLIMBS THE STAIRS, THEN LOOKS THROUGH HIS POCKETS FOR HIS KEYS. HE REALIZES THAT THE HOMELESS MAN MUST HAVE PICKPOCKETED THEM. JOHN OPENS THE DOOR TO 221B AND CAUTIOUSLY MOVES UP THE STAIRS TO THE LIVING ROOM.

CUT TO THE LIVING ROOM. THE HOMELESS MAN STANDS BY THE FIREPLACE, LOOKING AT THE OBJECTS ON THE MANTELPIECE. JOHN ENTERS THE ROOM AND SLOWLY MOVES BEHIND THE MAN.

 

John: [Shouts] Hey!

 

THE MAN TURNS AND JOHN PUNCHES THE MAN, THEN THROWS HIM TO THE GROUND, PINNING HIM FACE DOWN ON THE CARPET.

 

John: [shouting] What the hell are you doing in my flat?!

 

IN A “SHERLOCK-VISION” STYLE ZOOM-IN, JOHN NOTICES THAT THE HOMELESS MAN’S BEARD APPEARS TO BE FALLING OFF. JOHN THROWS THE MAN ONTO HIS BACK AND RIPS OFF THE BEARD, REVEALING **SHERLOCK HOLMES.** JOHN FALLS OFF OF HIM AND STARES, HIS MOUTH OPEN.

 

Sherlock: I do apologize for the intrusion into _your_ flat John, but my plan required subtlety. [yelling down the stairs] Mrs. Hudson, could you bring it up?

 

JOHN HASN’T TAKEN HIS EYES OFF OF SHERLOCK AS SHERLOCK RISES AND PICKS UP HIS FAKE BEARD AND REATTACHES IT. JOHN LOOKS UP AS **MRS. HUDSON** ENTERS THE LIVING ROOM, HAVING DRAGGED WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MANNEQUIN UP THE STAIRS. SHE IS WHITE AS A SHEET.

 

John: M-Mrs. Hudson…you knew?! And what the bloody hell is that?!

Mrs. Hudson: Dear, I only found out minutes before you…and you tell _me_ what it is.

 

MRS. HUDSON THROWS THE MANNEQUIN DOWN BETWEEN JOHN AND SHERLOCK. IT IS AN EXACT REPLICA OF SHERLOCK HIMSELF. JOHN STARES AT THE MANNEQUIN, THEN LOOKS UP AT SHERLOCK. HE STANDS, AND PUNCHES SHERLOCK IN THE FACE, AGAIN. MRS. HUDSON GASPS.

 

John: [screaming] Sherlock?! What the bloody hell is going on?! How are you…[his voice changes to one of awe] You’re _alive._

Sherlock: All in due time.

 

SHERLOCK MOVES QUICKLY TO THE DOOR, GIVING MRS. HUDSON A WINK AS HE PASSES.

 

Sherlock: Quickly, John! There’s not a moment to lose!

John: [yelling] I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION!

 

SHERLOCK STOPS, ONLY FOR A MOMENT, THEN GRABS JOHN’S HAND AND PULLS HIM TO THE DOOR.

 

Sherlock: In due time John. [looking John in the eye] I promise.

 

JOHN PAUSES.

 

John: Wait.

 

JOHN RUNS BACK UP THE STAIRS AND GRABS HIS REVOLVER FROM THE DESK DRAWER, THEN PUTS IT IN HIS COAT POCKET. HE RUNS BACK DOWN THE STAIRS AS SHERLOCK IS ON THE PHONE.

 

Sherlock: [into the phone] Now.

 

CUT TO SHOTS OF THE CCTV CAMERAS ON BAKER STREET MOVING.

 

[After a moment] Mycroft’s voice on the phone: Go.

 

SHERLOCK GRABS JOHN’S HAND AND THEY RUN OUT THE FRONT DOOR OF 221B AND DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET, NARROWLY AVOIDING TRAFFIC. THEY RUN DOWN A NARROW ALLEY AND THROUGH A DOOR IN THE SIDE OF THE FLAT BUILDING DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM 221B. THIS IS THE FLAT WHICH WAS BLOWN UP BY MORIARTY, AND HAS LIED VACANT SINCE.

SHERLOCK CONTINUES TO HOLD JOHN’S HAND AS HE LEADS HIM TO THE FRONT WINDOW OF THE EMPTY FLAT. SHERLOCK CROUCHES BY THE WINDOW AND CAUTIOUSLY PEAKS THROUGH THE BLINDS. JOHN CONTINUES TO STAND.

 

Sherlock: [smiling] Excellent, Mrs. Hudson truly is magnificent.

John: [sighing] Is this really happening?

Sherlock: You’re not dreaming John. [looks at John] Not anymore.

John: You know I have questions, but first I need to know…[yelling] what the hell are we doing?!

Sherlock: John! Please do be quiet. Do you want to get us both killed? …Again?

 

JOHN LOOKS EXASPERATED, BUT CROUCHES NEXT TO SHERLOCK BY THE WINDOW. SHERLOCK SIGHS, THEN BEGINS TO EXPLAIN.


End file.
